Generally storage devices, particularly those functioning as storage servers, may not support backup and recovery of control path data. For example, for some existing storage devices in the market, such as middle-end and high-end storage devices, no backup may exist for parts of different functions, such as configuration of an operating system kernel, software, and a system running on a storage processor SP/controller server CS/data mobile server DM, and running state related data, etc. Therefore, in the case of software unavailability or system panic caused by a configuration change or software upgrade or in the case of system panic caused by other reasons, e.g. in the following scenarios where: (1) a user may perform a non-destructive upgrade (NDU) to software using software information latest released by a storage device provider, wherein a change in the driver and software during the NDU may result in system panic or unavailability of some software or cause the system unable to be re-started; (2) a user re-configures some software, thereby resulting in system panic or software unavailability; (3) with elapse of time, errors accumulated by the system itself cause system panic; if a user cannot solve a problem encountered through re-starting a storage device and can only seek help from the storage device provider, in these cases, it may unnecessarily waste time, and moreover since the system cannot recover in a timely manner, a significant economic loss may be incurred. it may also result in waste of time for technical support personnel or engineers of the storage device provider.